In a development apparatus wherein the developing processing is carried out using toner, which is provided as charged micro particles as a developer and by depositing the toner as an electrostatic latent image, there is a problem with the leakage of toner from the development apparatus. If the leakage of toner occurs, the interior of the image forming device using the development apparatus is stained. As a result, printing failure may occur and an operator's hands and clothes may be soiled with the toner when the operator replaces the development apparatus.
In the case of non-magnetic single component developing wherein a toner film is formed with a film thickness regulating blade on the developing roller having functions of conveyance while carrying the toner and faced against the electrostatic latent image to proceed with developing process, leakage of toner occurs easily around the developing rollers that are rotating.
In order to prevent the leakage of toner from the direction of both ends of the developing roller, as in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application Publication 2001-134080, a side seal constituting a substrate of an end-to-end developer leakage prevention member slides on the circumferential face of the both ends of the developing roller, and a double-faced tape is used for installation in the case of the development apparatus.
At both ends of the feed roller for feeding a toner to the developing roller, a side end toner leakage prevention member called a feed roller seal is arranged to face both ends and a side seal is installed in the development apparatus case to cover the feed roller seal and prevent the leakage of toner from both ends of the feed roller.
In a development apparatus, when the toner (developer) becomes empty, it is replaced with a new development apparatus and the old development apparatus is recycled. When recycling the development apparatus, the old side seal (end-to-end developer leakage prevention member) is removed from the development apparatus case and a new side seal is installed. However, as mentioned above, since the side seal is installed using a double-faced tape in the case of the development apparatus, the side seal may be broken unless it is peeled properly. Peeling the side seal becomes more troublesome since residual side seal and double-faced tape (double-faced adhesive) must be further peeled off from the case of the development apparatus. In addition, installing a side seal at an appropriate position in the development apparatus case can become difficult due to the presence of double-faced tape on the back of the side seal. If the side seal adheres to the case of the development apparatus, it can be difficult to change the position of the side seal. In addition, when changing the position of the side seal, wrinkles and stretches frequently occur, which causes leakage of toner.